texasmesquite

Simplicity calls for chicken done right



BY JOHNATHAN L. WRIGHT • Reno Gazette-Journal • August 28, 2008
Source: Hattiesburg Gazette

Grilled chicken offers the beauty of simplicity - salt, pepper, oil, fire - and the challenges simplicity always brings.

For every breast or thigh that is crisp of skin, moist of meat, brushed by smoke and striped by the grill, there are numerous woeful specimens that are undercooked, overcooked or shellacked with barbecue sauce burned to a crisp carapace. Yum.

When done right, chicken takes well to a variety of flavors and ingredients and can be prepared in almost countless ways.

The fact is, “chicken is easy and relatively quick to grill when you know what you’re doing,” said grilling and barbecue expert Cheryl Jamison, co-author of “Chicken on the Grill: 100 Surefire Ways to Grill Perfect Chicken Every Time” (2004, William Morrow Cookbooks, $24.95).and several other grilling and barbecue cookbooks.

“It’s a solid value for every night family meals,” she continued, “and great for entertaining because just about everybody likes it.”
Here are recipes that showcase grilled chicken in deliciously diverse incarnations.

Moroccan “naanini” - like panini but with naan - features grilled chicken marinated in harissa, a north African red chili paste, and naan spread with chutney made with seasonal nectarines. Grilled romaine parcels stuffed with ground chicken offer a flame-kissed take on popular lettuce wraps. Affordable chicken thighs are spiked with coriander and brushed with a hot and sweet sauce.

Thighs also star in an easy dish featuring a Dijon Worcestershire marinade. And who doesn’t love food on skewers? This chicken Caesar version contrasts grilled cubes of chicken and country bread with a cool romaine slaw.
Moroccan Chicken Naanini

For nectarine chutney:
2 cups peeled, chopped ripe California nectarines (2 to 3 nectarines)
one-half cup minced shallots
one-third cup white wine vinegar
one-third cup brown sugar
1 and one-half tablespoons grated fresh ginger
one-quarter teaspoon cinnamon
one-quarter teaspoon ground allspice

Stir together chutney ingredients in medium saucepan and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, 15 minutes. Remove cover and cook 5 to 10 minutes more to cook off excess liquid. (Chutney may be made several days ahead and stored tightly covered in refrigerator.)

To prepare:
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
one-half cup harissa paste or Thai-style chili sauce (see note)
one-half cup fresh lime juice
one-half teaspoon salt
4 naan bread, halved
1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
4 large roasted red bell pepper strips

Place chicken breasts between plastic wrap and pound to flatten. Add harissa paste or substitute, lime juice and salt to large resealable plastic bag. Knead bag to mix, then add chicken. Seal bag, then turn several times until well coated with mixture. Refrigerate 2 hours to marinate.

Prepare gas or charcoal grill to medium-high heat. Cook chicken about 5 minutes each side, or until cooked through. Place cooked chicken on half of bread pieces. Spread on chutney and top with pepper strip and remaining bread. Brush both sides of bread lightly with oil and place on grill over medium heat.

Press down to flatten slightly with panini press or foil-covered brick, and cook about 3 to 5 minutes each side, or until lightly browned. Serve with additional chutney, if desired. Serves 4.

Note: Harissa is a spicy north African red chili paste that can be found at Whole Foods or specialty stores, or grocery stores that carry international foods. If unavailable, substitute Thai-style chili sauce or paste.

Source: Adapted from recipe provided by California Tree Fruit Agreement, www.eatcaliforniafruit.com
Grilled Chicken Parcels with Tomato Basil Vinaigrette

For tomato-basil vinaigrette:
one-fourth cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
one-half teaspoon kosher salt
one-fourth teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons basil, finely chopped
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved

In medium bowl, whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, vinegar, kosher salt and black pepper. Stir in chopped basil and tomato halves; set aside.

For chicken parcels and to serve:
12 romaine lettuce leaves
1 pound ground chicken (have supermarket butcher grind it)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons dried Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon kosher salt
one-half teaspoon black pepper
12 basil leaves
6 ounces fontina or Monterey Jack cheese, sliced into 12 thin pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil

Bring large pot of water to boil. Fill large bowl with water and ice. Using tongs, blanch lettuce leaves by plunging them, one by one, into boiling water 2 to 3 seconds each, then placing in ice bath. When all leaves are blanched, spread out to dry on paper towels. Prepare gas or charcoal grill.

In large bowl, combine chicken, garlic, Italian seasoning, kosher salt and black pepper. Place 1 romaine lettuce leaf on flat surface; top with basil leaf. Add 3 tablespoons chicken mixture and slice of cheese. Fold leaf bottom in, then fold sides up, and finally fold top down, so that filling is completely enclosed.

Use 2 wooden toothpicks to hold parcel together; set aside. Repeat procedure until 12 parcels are formed.

Brush parcels with 1 tablespoon olive oil and place on grill. Cook 6 minutes; turn and cook other side an additional 6 minutes, or until chicken is completely cooked through. Serve parcels with spoonful tomato basil vinaigrette. Serves 12.

Source: Adapted from a recipe courtesy of National Chicken Council
Grilled Chicken with Hot and Sweet Dipping Sauce

For peppercorn coriander flavor paste:
4 tablespoons black peppercorns
6 large garlic cloves, peeled
1 tablespoon ground coriander
one-eighth teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Thai fish sauce

In food processor, pulse together peppercorns, garlic, coriander and salt about 1 minute, to consistency of paste. Add Thai fish sauce and combine well; set aside.

For hot and sweet dipping sauce:
one-half cup rice vinegar
one-half cup sugar
1 large garlic clove, peeled and then mashed with back of spoon
one-fourth teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

In small saucepan, bring rice vinegar to boil over medium-high heat. Stir in sugar; continue stirring until sugar is completely dissolved. Lower heat to medium-low and simmer 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in separate bowl, combine mashed garlic with salt and red pepper flakes.

Remove vinegar mixture from heat; stir garlic mixture into vinegar sauce and blend well. Cool to room temperature.

To prepare:
4 tablespoons peppercorn coriander flavor paste
3 tablespoons Thai fish sauce
4 large split chicken breasts, bone-in and skin on (about 3 pounds)

Hot and sweet dipping sauce
Place peppercorn coriander paste in large bowl; stir in fish sauce and blend well. Add chicken to marinade and turn to coat. Let stand, covered, in refrigerator up to 3 hours.

Prepare gas or charcoal grill. Place chicken on grill 4 to 5 inches from flame, bone-side down, and grill until bottoms are starting to brown, about 6 to 8 minutes.

Turn chicken pieces and continue cooking until golden brown on other sides and juices run clear when meat is pierced with fork, about another 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer chicken to platter and top each piece with hot and sweet dipping sauce. Serves 4.

Source: Adapted from “Hot Sour Salty Sweet: A Culinary Journey through Southeast Asia” by Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid (2000, Artisan Books, $45.00)
Grilled Chicken Caesar on Skewers

To prepare:
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into three-fourths- to 1-inch cubes (ask supermarket butcher to cut)
1 and one-fourth cups Caesar salad dressing, store-bought or homemade, or more to taste, divided
4 ounces country bread, cut into 1- to 1 and one-fourth-inch cubes
several tablespoons garlic-flavored olive oil or olive oil
8 cups romaine lettuce leaves sliced into ribbons or smaller quantity crisp whole small inner romaine leaves (from 1 to 2 heads)
one-half teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
curls of Parmesan cheese (made by scraping vegetable peeler over chunk of cheese)
4 metal skewers, preferably 8 inches to 10 inches long

At least 1 hour ahead, or up to several hours before you plan to grill chicken, place chicken in zippered plastic bag. Pour enough dressing over chicken to cover it, about three-fourths cup. Seal bag, toss back and forth to coat chicken and refrigerate.
When ready to grill, drain chicken and let sit uncovered at room temperature about 20 minutes. Fire up grill, bringing heat to medium (able to hold hand above grate 4 to 5 seconds before heat becomes too much).

Brush bread cubes with oil and skewer intermittently with chicken cubes. Arrange skewers on grill and grill uncovered 7 to 9 minutes, turning to cook on all sides, until chicken is firm and white throughout but still juicy. Bread will get toasty brown.
Toss romaine with enough remaining dressing to moisten thoroughly, then divide among 4 plates. Place chicken Caesar skewer on each plate, sprinkle with pepper to taste and Parmesan, and serve while chicken is still hot and romaine is still cold. Serves 4.

Source: Adapted from “Chicken on the Grill: 100 Surefire Ways to Grill Perfect Chicken Every Time” by Cheryl Alters Jamison and Bill Jamison (2004, William Morrow Cookbooks, $24.95).
Rosemary Chicken Breast Sandwiches

For spicy chili mayonnaise:
2 jalapeno chilies
2 cloves garlic, unpeeled
1 tablespoon sherry wine vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
1 and one-half cups mayonnaise
1 teaspoon salt
one-half teaspoon black pepper

Place jalapenos and garlic cloves in small skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and turn as necessary to brown evenly and to soften chilies and garlic. Set garlic aside to cool, then peel.

Transfer chilies to small bowl of water and submerge 20 minutes. Place garlic, vinegar and honey in bowl of food processor fitted with metal blade. Pulse to combine. Remove chilies from water, remove stem and seeds, and add to processor. Pulse to chop, and then puree until mixture forms rough paste.

Add mayonnaise, salt and pepper and pulse evenly to blend. Transfer to small bowl and refrigerate until needed.

To prepare:
4 chicken breast halves, boneless and skinless, pounded by supermarket butcher to one-half-inch thickness
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh chopped rosemary
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 ciabatta rolls
8 slices applewood-smoked bacon, cooked
2 cups arugula

Season chicken with salt and pepper; sprinkle with rosemary. Drizzle olive oil evenly over chicken and, using fingers, rub herb and seasonings into chicken. Refrigerate until needed. Prepare gas or charcoal grill.

Place chicken breasts on grill and cook, turning once, until done, about 3 minutes per side. Remove from heat and cover with foil. Finish sandwiches by lightly toasting each side of rolls.

Spread 2 tablespoons spicy chili mayonnaise on bottom half of rolls; top each with chicken breast half. Add 2 slices bacon to each sandwich; divide arugula among sandwiches. Secure sandwiches with tops of buns and serve. Serves 4.

Source: Adapted from “Cowgirl Cuisine: Rustic Recipes and Cowgirl Adventures from a Texas Ranch” by Paula Disbrowe (2007, William Morrow Cookbooks, $29.95).